Petunia plant named ‘Petzebrina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Petzebrina’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; green and greenish white variegated foliage; and numerous dark pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored venation.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Petzebrina’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Petzebrina.

The new Petunia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection identified as PAF0101, not patented. The new Petunia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single branch from a flowering plant of the parent selection in a controlled environment in Riverhead, N.Y. in November, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in Riverhead, N.Y. since November, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Petzebrina have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Petzebrina’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Petzebrina’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Green and greenish white variegated foliage.     -   4. Numerous dark pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored         venation.

Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in leaf coloration as plants of the parent selection have solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Royal Frost, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,516. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Riverhead, N.Y., plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Royal Frost in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright than plants of         the cultivar Royal Frost.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were broader than plants of the         cultivar Royal Frost.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Royal Frost         differed in leaf and flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Petzebrina’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical leaves and flowers of ‘Petzebrina’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Riverhead, N.Y., under commercial practice during the spring and summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 22° C., night temperatures averaging 17° C., and light levels ranging from 9,000 to 12,000 lux. Plants were grown for about 16 weeks in 25-cm containers. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Petzebrina. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     Petunia×hybrida selection identified as PAF0101, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially             upright, then mounding and outwardly spreading; compact.             Moderately vigorous growth habit. Freely basal branching             habit lateral branches potentially developing at every node.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers and landscape applications.         -   Plant height.—About 20 to 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 50 to 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             139D.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement, before flowering:             Alternate, simple. Arrangement, when flowering: Opposite,             simple. Length: About 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 to             2.5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Viscid;             pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Center, 141C; towards the             margins, 150C. Developing foliage, lower surface: Center,             139C; towards the margins, 150C. Fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: Center, 141B; towards the margin, 157D. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Center, 141C; towards the             margin, 157D. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to             lamina. Petiole length: About 1 cm. Petiole diameter: About             3 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces: 139C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers; flowers face             upward or outward; single, axillary. Freely flowering,             typically about six open flowers and flower buds per lateral             branch.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; plants flower             from April until frost in New York; flowering continuous             during the flowering period. Plants start flowering about             eight weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week; flowers not             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth: About 3.5 cm. Tube             length: About 2.5 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About             7.5 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color: 50B to             58A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet with distinct clefts             between petal lobes. Petal lobe length: About 3 cm. Petal             lobe width: About 3 cm. Petal shape: Roughly fan-shaped.             Petal apex: Acute. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper surface: Smooth, satiny. Petal texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: 66B.             Petal, when opening, lower surface: 67A. Petal, fully             opened, upper surface: 55A. Petal, fully opened, lower             surface: 55B. Flower throat (inside): 58A. Flower tube             (outside): 54B. Venation, upper petal surface: 57B.             Venation, lower petal surface: 55B. Venation, throat: 58A.             Venation, tube: Close to 55B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             6 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 45° to the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per             flower; stamens adnate to corolla tube. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther length: About 7 mm. Anther color: 155A. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 155A. Pistils: Quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma color: 150B. Style length: About 1.6 cm.             Style color: 141C. Ovary color: 141C.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from 2 to 32° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Petzebrina’, as illustrated and described. 